The Allegheny National Forest will soon be salvaging trees in Warrants 3766, 3773, 3782, and 3788, Highland Township, Elk County and Warrant 3782, Wetmore Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania, damaged during a May 1, 2017, windstorm. Marienville District Ranger Rob Fallon recently signed a decision memo allowing salvage operations to take place on approximately 184 acres of National Forest System lands. “Salvage timber harvests may occur in response to forest health issues or catastrophic events, such as wind or ice,” Fallon said. “We want to recover the economic value of the damaged trees that would otherwise be lost if the wind thrown or damaged trees are not salvaged.”

Approximately 1,500 acres of wind thrown trees occurred across the Marienville Ranger District as a result of the May 1 storm. This is one of a series of proposals, analyses and decisions regarding potential treatment of these wind throw areas.